Terry O'Neill

Terry O'Neill, a feminist attorney, professor and activist for social justice, was elected president of NOW in June 2009. She is also president of the NOW Foundation and chair of the NOW Political Action Committees, and serves as the principal spokesperson for all three entities. O'Neill oversees NOW's multi-issue agenda, which includes: advancing reproductive freedom, promoting diversity and ending racism, stopping violence against women, winning lesbian rights, ensuring economic justice, ending sex discrimination and achieving constitutional equality for women.

From 1989 to 2001, Terry was a law professor at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. She taught feminist legal theory, international women's rights, legal ethics, and corporate social responsibility as well as general corporate law.

O'Neill's feminist activism began with fighting right-wing extremists in the Deep South. She has served as president of Louisiana NOW, president of the New Orleans chapter and has been a member of NOW's National Board and National Racial Diversity Committee. She has also been active in Colorado NOW.

Using her background in law to fight important legal battles for feminists, O'Neill has written key amicus briefs at the federal, trial and appellate levels on abortion rights issues for Louisiana NOW, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. O'Neill's community activism includes work with labor unions, Louisiana's Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus, the Mayor of New Orleans' Task Force on Domestic Violence and ACORN of Louisiana.

O'Neill is also a skilled political organizer, having worked on campaigns ranging from the election of Louisiana's first woman U.S. Senator, Mary Landrieu to the successful defeat of David Duke's bid for the Louisiana governorship. She also worked on successful campaigns to elect women's rights supporters to the Louisiana state legislature and to state judgeships.

Ms.O'Neill is available to speak on a wide range of legal, legislative, political, international, health and social topics including but not limited to: ending violence against women, ending racism, women's health, feminism and the law, and international women's issues.